Never Again
by Sorceress Shadow Rain
Summary: Numair was on a dangerous quest, it might cause his life. His love, Daine could not stay back as she was told, and pledged into the deadly battle between theives, common people, and nobles. Diane had to bring her love back in time and save Tortall.
1. my love

Another new story, this time, it DN, I'm trying to pair everybody up! Heheheh… Enjoy! (Reviews would be appreciated)

Never Again

Prologue

"Numair?" Slowly, the girl at the door pushed her way inside the room. Numair was not here, or anywhere she checked. She threw her hands down onto the table nearby, frustrated. Her finger tips touched a piece of paper. Curious, she turned it around to read the messy writing:

Daine, my love,

I'm going away for a while, take care, and don't bother looking for me this time because no one will tell you where I've gone.

With deepest apology and love,

Numair

Daine sat down hard. Gone, again? Without warning? She had tried to follow him into quests, but she always got stopped by his magic or himself. The truth was that she worried for him.

The bell rang, indicated that it was time for people to head down to the Mass hall, where they all ate together. However, Daine made no movement to leave the room.

Time dragged on. Finally, Daine threw herself onto her lover's bed, breathing in his familiar senses of smell as she cried herself to sleep.

Sorry, I know it's short, but it's a prologue! I promise that I will make it longer next time when it is Chapter 1. Again, reviews. It will tell me if I should continue with this idea.


	2. Numair's destination

As I had promised from last chapter, this chapter will be longer than the last chapter, but it is still pretty short. Hey, don't blame me, I like short, and mysterious chapters…

Chapter1

Awoke, she slowly stretched. She had been lying there for hours and her body was sore and stiff from the lack of exercise. Then, the truth hit her; Numair was gone, and no one else would help her to him this time. Or were there?

Daine wasted no time, she raced down the hall. It was early in the morning; there were not much people around. She woke Jon, Alanna (who happened to be in Corus at that moment), Buri, Roaul, Gary, or anyone who might have an idea of where Numair is. No one told her anything.

Her heart broke. Blindly, she stumbled out of the palace into the garden and shed her tears once more on Numair.

Theyet happened to be watching her, felt a tinge of something inside of her moved. Heart-soften, she carefully came out of her hiding place and sat to stroke the half-conscious girl. Daine finally came aware of the touch. Sniffing, she asked the same question to Theyet. "Please, oh please, tell me where he is. Tell me!"

Theyet smiled thinly and opened her mouth. She closed it again after no sounds came out from it. She shook her head.

"Please, Numair needs me; just tell me where he is heading to." Daine pleaded.

"Nonsense, Numair is a grown man and an accomplished mage. He can take care of himself." Theyet snapped, but retreated when she saw Daine's pleading eyes filled with tears. The tears of love.

"Alright, I'll tell you one thing, or try to anyways." Theyet began, Daine leaned forward, her eyes flashing with eagerness. "Numair's quest is to solve a serious murder and lawbreaker who use magic to destroy every trace of evidence that can lead us to him."

Daine's eyes fell to her laps once again to hide tears. "But I wanted to know where he is!" she wailed.

"That, I cannot tell you even of I wanted to." The queen said.

"Why is that?" Daine asked, curious.

"He magicked us I guess, so we can't tell where he is going to you." She replied casually as if this happens all the time. Daine's mouth dropped open.

"He. Magicked. Your Majesty?" she barely made out the words. Theyet just nodded.

"He will get in troubles again." Daine sighed, "I knew it!"

"What are you talking about? He already did! You should have seen Jon when he found out. He was mad like a drunken bull!" Theyet giggled.

"I've got a headache, I think I'll just go and lay down in my room." Daine whispered and ran out of the garden, leaving a confused queen alone on the bench.

When she got to her room, she spread her magic out. A golden eyed eagle was flying nearby. Daine sent a picture of Numair and asked him if he had seen Numair. The eagle reply was instant. Yes, he had seen him leaving yesterday; he headed northwest towards Yamani Islands.

Daine thought grimly, 'that's easier than I thought!' and she start packing.

I had a lot of thoughts on this chapter. Now I just run out of ideas on the next chapter, reviews with ideas are welcome.

Thanks,

Sorceress Shadow Rain


	3. a step closer

I thought since I love DN pair, I'll give this story a shot. Enjoy this chapter!

Chapter 3

It was dusk; Daine was running out of patience. 'Why, oh why did daylight felt so short now?' She had hastily packed some of her most valuable possessions and left the palace on Cloud. Somehow, she felt if she didn't want any soldiers report her sneak out of the palace, she had to do some major preparation.

With some flirtation glances and some flattering with her long lashes, she was able to get pass the guards at the gates. With luck, she would get away without people's notice for as long as a day.

And it was almost a day, Daine arrived at a village on Cloud, she wanted to continue farther, but her level headedness stopped her in time. Entering a bar, Daine flipped a coin to the stable boy and asked him to feed Cloud, then she ordered dinner, finally, a room for tonight. As she was finishing her dinner, some rough looking men entered the bar; one of them eyed Daine and smiled. Daine was not in the mood to be flirtatious; she just simply went on with her dinner.

The men took a seat near her table. Soon, they were all pointing and sneaking glances at her. Finally, tired of their pointing and mocking, she left abruptly to go upstairs. As she closed the door, she sighed. However, she didn't know how close she was to be robbed.

As she drifted to sleep, her mind kept on going back to the image of Numair, she always longed for his gentle touch, or his sense of smell. As always, Daine went to sleep uneasily.

A knock on the door woke her up. From the look outside her window, she had only slept an hour or so. Moaning, she got up and answered the door.

She careless thrust in open a crack, her sleepy mind was curious, but not alert. Besides, she had been in the palace too long, she had got use to the protectiveness. Suddenly, a rough hand seized her and a foot was thrust in, keeping her from slamming the door. The lad who smiled at her when he entered that evening was holding onto her arm. Daine only got a glimpse of him before he forced her arms back. Carefully, he whispered; "If you scream, you dies."

Keeping her voice calm, Daine said, "Let go of me, I'm not scared of your threats."

The man let go after he closed her door. "You are not scared of threats? Oh, that's interesting. I don't suppose a young girl of your age traveling alone only for entertainment?"

"No, I don't travel for entertainment, and I'm not doing it now. I'll tell you, it you hurt me or touch me of any kind; I'll use my magic on you. I'm a mage." Daine warned.

"You are not a mage at all!" The man sneered. "I can see that you have no trace of magic in you."

"And that's where most of people are wrong." Daine shut her month before she can blab all her secrets out.

"Oh? What is you magic then." The man asked.

"I wish not to speak of it." Daine refused to answer, instead, she changed the subject, "Say, you are not common born, because you don't speak like a common."

"I speak like a common if I wanted to, girl." He said. "And you haven't answered my question yet!"

"I do not want to speak of this matter anymore." Daine said stubbornly.

The man sighed, "Ok, then, as you wish. My name is Yusky, a seeing mage." The man held out a hand. Daine shook it lightly before brought her hand back.

"I'm D…Daisy." Daine lied about her name, knowing fully well that her reputation traveled.

"Ok, my inner version, or magic told me that you are seeking someone I know, or saw before." Yusky said, watching her carefully.

"Um… yes, you are quite right." Daine was not so comfortable with this topic or the fact that he was a seeing mage. Who knew what he had sensed in Daine, her deepest secret? The thought made her shiver.

"It's a male." Yusky continued. Closing his eyes, he reached out toward her. Daine backed up.

"Umm…it's my boyfriend." Daine was very unsettled. Yusky nodded in approval. "If you expect me to tell you anything else, you are wrong." Daine said bravely.

"Then, I'll tell you something about him." He said. "He is tall, with greasy, black hair. He has a lot of power, and he is moving north." He opened his eyes. "Am I right?" Without waiting for a reply, he said, "If my magic did not deceive me, you are chasing after Arram."

Daine nodded again, totally dumb folded.

Yusky chuckled. "I can give you some info. He is traveling north; you already knew that. But, he is not as far away as you think. Rather, he is just ahead of you. However, if you want to find him, he is not easily recognized because he will use his magic to change his appearance." Yusky paused. "I think that should discourage you. If I were you, I will head back to wherever I come from and to wait for him there."

"No." Daine said firmly, but in her mind, she was having other thoughts. "I'm not going back. Now, would you please excuse me, I want my rest. It will be a long day for me tomorrow."

Yusky shook his head.

Suddenly angry, Daine hissed, "Get out NOW!"

Startled, he obeyed her command. He left slowly, but his last words hang in the air; 'If I were you, I will head back to wherever I come from and to wait for him there.'

Exhausted from her encounter, she locked her door and collapse onto the bed. Sometime during the night, a shadow slipped in and put a thing in Daine's traveling bag. True to Daine's words, it was going to be a long day for her tomorrow.

Weeellllll, what do you think? I'm planning on some surprises in the next chapter before she actually found Numair, then the fluffs will start there…R&R plz!

Thanks,

Sorceress Shadow Rain


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